Metric system;

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14 HASKINS & SELLS February
The Metric System
SHOULD the United States formally
adopt the metric system? Among the
first bills introduced in the present session
of Congress was the Metric Standards Bill,
providing for the gradual adoption of the
metric units of weights and measures in
merchandising. Although not acquainted
at the time of writing this article with the
full provisions of the proposed measure, we
understand that the bill, if adopted, will
not become operative for a period of ten
years, and, further, that manufacturers
may use whatever measures they choose
in production.
The metric system was established in
France during the French Revolution, and
while in its experimental stage it was re­peatedly
brought to the attention of our
Congress. The attention was sought by
individuals favoring its adoption by this
country rather than as a result of popular
demand. In 1821, John Quincy, Secretary
of State, after four years of investigation,
begun with a predilection in favor of the
system, submitted a report in which, after
discussing both sides of the question, recom­mended
that no change be made in our
standards of weights and measures.
Since that time metric legislation has
been more or less active everywhere. The
first step in legalizing the metric system in
this country was in 1866. At that time it
was felt that, with the use of metric units
made legal the advantages claimed for it
would soon lead to its general adoption.
This, however, has not been the case, and
today we find that whenever a bill is intro­duced
into Congress favoring the adoption
of the metric system as our recognized legal
standard, so much weight is exerted for and
against the proposition as to make it rather
difficult to determine whether the pro­posed
change possesses real merit or not.
The advantage of the metric system over